Oxford University
From Conservapedia
One of the most influential universities in history, the University of Oxford was founded in 1167. Located in the city of Oxford, England, it is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is organised into 39 colleges, each of which has its own buildings, staff and students; the college is the primary focus of teaching at undergraduate level, although lectures and degree programmes are organised by the University faculty boards. The oldest of these, Balliol College, was established in 1263; the second-oldest, Merton College, was established in 1264 A.D. Oxford also has a number of "Permanent Private Halls," which are run by churches or religious orders; the oldest of these is Blackfriars Hall, founded in 1221.
As it is, Oxford University is one of the most respected universities in the world [1] [2], with many in the Japanese royal family studying for degrees at the university, amongst many others. Oxford's chief rival is Cambridge University, which has a similar reputation.
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[edit] Religious study at Oxford
One of the oldest faculties in the University is the Faculty of Theology, and one of the first courses of lectures given at Oxford was in Theology, over eight centuries ago. Alexander Neckham, from St Albans, is recorded as giving biblical and moral lectures as early as 1193, on The Psalms of David and the Wisdom of Solomon. One of the first major University buildings was the Divinity School, which was begun in 1423 to cater for theology lectures.[3] A "permanent private hall" is a religious hall, run by a particular Christian Order, which has been licensed by Oxford University to matriculate students and enter them for University degrees. Blackfriars Hall is one of six permanent private halls within the University, and is run by the English Province of the Dominican Order, a religious order of the Catholic Church. The Professorship of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University comes with a Canonry of Christ Church, and the post holder must therefore be ordained, or prepared to become so. The Professorship involves teaching Christian Ethics, Ascetic and Mystical Theology and study of the types of Christian experience.
Jesus College was founded in 1571 and intended, like many other colleges, for the education of future clergymen. The 1571 charter stated that it would be a "college of learning in the sciences of philosophy, the moral arts, and knowledge of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages, with the eventual aim of professing sacred Theology". However, in common with most other Oxford colleges, it is now essentially a secular academic community that prepares students of any faith or none for all walks of life.
[edit] Student Representation
All members of Oxford University are also members of the Oxford University Student Union (OUSU), a statutory body under the 1994 education act. However, due to the collegiate nature of the University, all students are also members of a student body organization within their college, known as a Common Room: Junior Common Rooms (JCRs) are comprised of undergraduates, and Middle Common Rooms (MCRs) for postgraduate students. OUSU fulfills its statutory role as a provider of welfare and representation for its members. On representation, its executive members (including some of its seven salaried sabbatical officers) sit on several University committees, and lobby colleges, the University, and national and local government bodies, in addition to providing support for Common Room officers. On welfare, OUSU vigorously supports members with a listening service and support for common room officers in mental health, sexual health and family planning issues. It also supports Oxford's Diversity Week.
[edit] List of colleges and Permanent Private Halls
The following is a list of Oxford colleges and halls as of 2007.[4]
- All Souls College (graduates only)
- Balliol College
- Blackfriars
- Brasenose College
- Campion Hall
- Christ Church
- Corpus Christi College
- Exeter College
- Green College (graduates only)
- Harris Manchester College (mature students only)
- Hertford College
- Jesus College
- Keble College
- Kellogg College
- Lady Margaret Hall
- Linacre College
- Lincoln College
- Magdalen College
- Mansfield College
- Merton College
- New College
- Nuffield College
- Oriel College
- Pembroke College
- Regent's Park College
- Somerville College
- St Anne's College
- St Antony's College
- St Benet's Hall
- St Catherine's College
- St Cross College
- St Edmund Hall
- St Hilda's College (women only)
- St Hugh's College
- St John's College
- St Peter's College
- St Stephen's House
- Templeton College
- The Queen's College
- Trinity College
- University College
- Wadham College
- Wolfson College
- Worcester College
- Wycliffe Hall
